UPDATE
What role would you like Geralt to play in the next game? Let us know below!
ORIGINAL STORY
Whenever a long-running franchise tries to reinvent itself with either a new setting or a new protagonist, the question is often how they’ll keep things good enough for long-term fans to return without having some of the “key hooks” that kept them there in the first place. When it came to The Witcher 4, its announcement brought many questions about what CD Projekt Red was trying to do. After all, their trilogy ended in a rather definitive fashion regarding Geralt of Rivia. Regardless of who you put him with romantically, he had his “walk off into the sunset moment” and thus wouldn’t be in the fourth game, right?
Well, yes and no. The game’s director, Sebastian Kalemb, spoke with Lega Nerd and said the following about The Witcher 4:
“It’ll be an excellent entry point for many players, without forgetting the long-time fans who still wish to follow Geralt’s adventures.”
You can interpret that in a few ways. The part about “who still wish to follow Geralt’s adventures” seems to imply that he is the protagonist. But it could also be that he’s taking a step back and will “assist” the main character, whoever that may be, and that he’ll help out in the occasional fight but won’t be the focus of the next title.
Many fans have hoped that his “daughter,” Ciri, would be the protagonist. At the end of the third title, she was able to escape the wrath of the Wild Hunt and was on her way to being a true Witcher. But Witchers are truly forged in battle, so Geralt would be at her side to assist her.
While some may see this as a kind of “cop-out,” as CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to alienate fans as much as they did with their cyberpunk-themed title, one only needs to look at certain other franchises for proof this can work when handled by properly. For example, look at the sagas of Kratos. The first saga was him alone fighting against the world. But in the more recent games, he’s working with his son to get the job done, and it creates an entirely different gameplay style.
Seeing Geralt in a more “fatherly/mentor” role to Ciri could lead to fun gameplay and story elements, especially depending on the plot.
Obviously, no matter what is said, we won’t know the truth until CD Projekt Red decides to drop a trailer. With over 50% of the studio working on it, we might get one sooner rather than later.
